Author

Five Great New Speakers on Leadership

We are constantly on the lookout for new Speakers and have reviewed over 12,000 in the 15 years we have been in business. Before we add any new Speaker to our site we review their references, check out their backgrounds, and make sure they have what it takes to deliver outstanding presentations for our clients. We recently reviewed over 50 New Speakers on Leadership and here are the 5 that come out on top:

John U. Bacon has worked the better part of two decades as a writer, a public speaker, radio commentator, college teacher, and high school hockey coach, winning awards for all five. He is also author of eight books on sports and business.

Russell Bishop, Fortune 500 Consultant & Performance Expert

Having started five successful companies and consulted to leadership teams around the world, Russell Bishop has become a recognized expert in personal and organization transformation, helping individuals and companies create unparalleled success.

Molly Fletcher is a trailblazer in every sense of the word– a rare talent of business wisdom, relationship brilliance and unwavering optimism. As a CEO, she shares her unconventional and unique techniques that made her one of the first female sports agents in the high stakes, big ego world of professional sports and now a successful entrepreneur.

John Foley, Former Blue Angels Pilot and Speaker on Leadership & Teamwork

John Foley is a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels, a Sloan Fellow at Stanford School of Business, a gratitude guru and an expert in the how of High Performance teams. His exciting, rare journey inspires awe, triggering audiences to take action and rethink what they believe is possible.

Kevin Brown, Marketing Executive and Speaker on Accountability and Leadership

Kevin’s unconventional path to business and personal success has taught him that winning in business and in life requires anything but conventional thinking. He is a marketing executive for an international franchisor that is ranked #1 in their industry and in the top 10 of all franchise companies according to the Annual Franchise 500.

Derek Sweeney is the Director of Speaker Ideas at The Sweeney Agency. www.thesweeneyagency.com. For 15 years Derek has been helping clients find the right Speakers for their events. Derek can be reached at 1-866-727-7555 or [email protected]

12 Highest Rated Women Speakers

The results are in! Each month, companies come to us asking for Women Speaker ideas on a variety of topics to help inspire, educate, and inform their audiences. We do the research and deliver specific Speaker suggestions that our clients can choose from. Based on their response, here are 12 of our highest rated Women Speakers:

10 Highest Rated Speakers on Sales

Clients regularly ask us for Speakers that can deliver presentations to inspire and educate their Sales teams. Speakers who can share new skills, ideas and strategies that can motivate sales people to take their game to the next level. Based on our research and client feedback, here are our highest rated speakers on Sales.

7 Top Speakers on Making an Impact at Work

Clients regularly ask us for Speakers that will inspire or motivate their people to be more productive and have a greater impact at Work. People who make a greater impact at work tend to get noticed and promoted. But having a greater impact means different things to different people. Researchers at Harvard Business School studying diaries from 12,000 work days showed that the happiest and most productive days were those marked by a sense of progress and impact. Having an impact at work is essential to a person’s sense of accomplishment; but more importantly, it re-enforces good working habits and motivates people to do even better—a win for both the individual and the organization alike. So what can you do to have a greater impact at work and get noticed? Here are some suggestions from 7 top-rated speakers on steps you can follow:

Nicole Lipkin, Author, Speaker, and CEO of Equilibria Leadership Consulting: Be a solution person not a problem person. The people that stand out in a positive, promotable way are the ones that take the initiative to figure out a better way of doing something without being asked.

Scott Zimmer, Speaker and Generational Expert: “Start moving ahead in your career by recognizing how others approach work. Do you have colleagues or a manager who prefer to collaborate? Find ways to contribute in a positive way! Does your manager prefer to work independently? Demonstrate you can handle projects on your own with little guidance. Does your boss come from a generation where hard work equals long hours? Arrive to work before them. Think you’ve crossed everything off your list for the day and it’s time to go home? Do ONE more thing. Over time, the decision makers at your company will notice your actions, and with some patience and hard work, you’ll see yourself promoted.” –

Ed Brodow, Author and Negotiation Expert :Get your employer to affirm that you are a valuable asset to the organization. Once you receive the employer’s validation that they need you, it will be difficult for them to deny your request. Then be prepared to walk if you can’t get the promotion you desire. In a workplace negotiation, your willingness to walk away gives you tremendous power. The employer will sense it. Conversely, if you are desperate for the job and perceive that you have no alternatives, they will sense your desperation. Face it, the worst thing that can happen is, you’ll have to look for another job – a BETTER job. They can’t shoot you! If you know what you want and stick to it, you will win no matter what happens.

Dianna Booher,Author, Speaker, and Communication ExpertCommunicate strategically: Summarize succinctly if you intend to get to the C-suite. If you can’t write your message in a sentence, you can’t say it in an hour.

Tim Sanders, Bestselling Author, Speaker, and Former Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo!: The best way to get promoted at work is to demonstrate a combination of loyalty to the company’s needs and an increasing competency to solve them. One of my mentors, Stanley Marcus Jr., told me that when he looks for associates to promote at Nieman Marcus, he always sought out those who felt a sense of responsibility to look after what he termed ‘the baby.’ In his view, every company is a baby that can’t take care of itself without the thoughtful stewardship of its managers and leaders. There are several ways to claw yourself to the top of the ladder, but really caring about the company’s success is the only one that will sustain your position over time.

Olivia Fox Cabane, Author, Speaker, and Director of Innovative Leadership at Stanford’s StartX Program: With people’s rapidly decreasing attention span, you need to make a bigger impact in a shorter amount of time. The secret is charisma. The good news: it’s not innate, it can be learned.

Bill Acheson, Speaker and Nonverbal Communication Expert: You can tell me how confident you are and how much you love your job, but I need to see it. Nonverbal communication is always more emotionally revealing and more emotionally accurate than what you say. What time do you arrive and what time do you leave the workplace? Is your energy level high, suggesting interest in what you do, or low, suggesting that you are just counting the hours. Remember, every feeling, intention, and thought is displayed through body language. My question is this, ‘Are you astute enough to understand the message?’

12 Highest Rated Leadership Speakers

More and more clients are asking us for Speakers who can show their Leaders how to engage, inspire, encourage, and develop their employees and teams. Here are our 12 highest rated Speakers on Leadership.

Mike Abrashoff, Former Commander, USS Benfold

Mike Abrashoff‘s inspiring speeches challenge people to re-imagine their own leadership thinking and instill a renewed responsibility for results and success. At the age of 36, the Navy selected Abrashoff to become Commander of USS Benfold, at the time the most junior commanding officer in the Pacific Fleet.

Ty Bennett, Speaker on Leadership, Communication and Entrepreneurship

More than one million people from 50 countries have learned from Ty Bennett’s insights on Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Communication. When Ty was 21 years old he started a business with his brother Scott, which they built to over $20 million in annual revenue while still in their twenties.

Polly Labarre, Speaks about Innovation, Leadership and Management

For two decades Polly LaBarre has used her writing and speaking to help make organizations more resilient, innovative and inspiring – and to embolden and equip leaders at every level to make a meaningful impact.

Known simply as FlyGirl, Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour went from beat cop to combat pilot in 3 years. Within months of earning her wings, she found herself flying over the deserts of Iraq supporting the men and women on the ground. She is your battle-tested speaker and ignites audiences with a dynamic spark that can’t be extinguished.

Chester Elton, Bestselling Leadership Author

Called the “Apostle of appreciation” by the Globe and Mail, Canada’s largest newspaper, and “creative and refreshing‚” by the New York Times, Chester Elton is co-author of several successful leadership books. All In, The Carrot Principleand What Motivates Me have been New York Times and #1 Wall Street Journal bestsellers. His work has been called a “must read for modern managers,” by Larry King of CNN.

Tasha Eurich is an organizational psychologist, researcher, and New York Times best-selling author. She’s built a reputation as a fresh, modern voice in the business world by pairing her scientific grounding in human behavior with a pragmatic approach to solving problems.

Mark is an expert on executive leadership, business strategy, and innovation who has spent over 25 years leading teams and building companies from the ground up. He delivers actionable, valuable and practical advice for leaders at all levels of an organization.

Dr. Nicole Lipkin helps organizations, leaders and their teams develop behaviors and practices that increase personal and organizational resilience and sustainability by integrating the science of human behavior with practical approaches to business and leadership challenges.

Steve Farber, Speaker on Extreme Leadership

Bestselling Author Steve Farber is the president of Extreme Leadership, Incorporated, and the founder of The Extreme Leadership Institute, organizations devoted to the cultivation and development of Extreme Leaders in the business community, non-profits and education.

After nearly twenty years in senior leadership roles in communications at media giants Universal, Sony and Turner Broadcasting, Libby is now CEO of executive coaching and consulting firm Libby Gill & Company. A sought-after international speaker, she guides established and emerging leaders to increase passion and productivity in their organizations.

Patrick Lencioni is founder and president of The Table Group, a firm dedicated to providing organizations with ideas, products and services that improve teamwork, clarity and employee engagement. His passion for organizations and teams is reflected in his writing, speaking and executive consulting.

Carol Kinsey Goman, Ph.D., is an international keynote speaker, specializing in leadership and nonverbal communication. She coaches executives, women leaders, salespeople, and managers to build strong and productive business relationships by projecting confidence, credibility, caring, and charisma.

Derek Sweeney is the Director of Speaker Ideas at The Sweeney Agency. www.thesweeneyagency.com. For 15 years Derek has been helping clients find the right Speakers for their events. Derek can be reached at 1-866-727-7555 or [email protected]

10 Great Speakers On The Trends That Are Shaping The Future of Business

Twenty years ago, most of us have never heard of the Internet nor could we have imagined how it would change our lives. We started hearing about Facebook just ten years ago, but it, along with the various other social media platforms, has impacted the way we communicate, work, and do business. Clients are constantly asking us for Speakers who can talk about the technological forces that are coming down the pipeline. Below 10 of our best Futurists identify the key technological advances they believe will dramatically change how we work and live:

Daniel Burrus – Bestselling Author, Global Futurist & Innovation Expert: Over the next five years, exponential advances in technology will transform (not a change) every business process including how we sell, market, communicate, collaborate, innovate, and educate. Rapid advancements in both Cognitive and Deep Learning supercomputers and our ability to access them using intelligent agents from our smart mobile devices will allow anyone to have focused access to the actionable knowledge and insights they require at the moment of need. This is one example of how work will change in the next five years.

Garry Golden – Academically Trained Futurist and Speaker on Emerging Trends: Garry Golden is a professionally trained futurist who writes, speaks, and consults about issues that will shape society and business in the 21st century. His uncanny sense of what will hit—and what won’t—can be seen in futurethink’s research and heard in his international keynotes and corporate leadership seminars. His insights on how to align talent development to coming industry and market transitions have been shared with and implemented by such organizations as the McGraw-Hill Companies, Goodyear, S&P, and Reliant Energy.

Dr. James Canton – Global Futurist and Business Strategist: Dr. James Canton is a renowned global global futurist, social scientist, author, and visionary business advisor. As a former Apple Computer executive and high tech entrepreneur, he has been insightfully forecasting the key trends and technologies that have shaped our world. The Economist recognizes him as one of the leading global futurists. He has advised three White House Administrations and over 100 companies.

Nancy Giordano – Futurist, Corporate Strategist & Speaker: Described as endlessly optimistic, Nancy Giordano is a strategic futurist with a drive to help enterprise organizations and visionary leaders transform to meet the escalating expectations ahead. Recognized as one of the world’s top female futurists, she has spent her career building, shaping and evolving a portfolio of $50 billion worth of major global brands. Executives love her unique abilities to sense and synthesize the shifts ahead and to guide those ready to build more relevant and sustainable solutions.

Richard Worzel – Futurist & Business Visionary: AI—Artificial Intelligence—is finally coming on very quickly after decades of hype and false starts; and, it’s going to be a game-changer in a lot of ways, both personally and in business. It will change transportation, as we’ve seen with all the headlines about self-driving cars, but also self-driving transport trucks. And, it will change business by helping us identify trends, make use of Big Data in better, more insightful ways, and perform strategic planning and marketing campaigns that are far more complex, are far more granular (i.e. more customized to each customer’s needs), and take into account a much greater range of factors. It will be like having a second, more analytical brain providing insight and advice.

Christina “CK” Kerley – Innovation Keynoter, Futurist, and Professor: Christina Kerley — known simply as “CK” — pushes Fortune 500’s ahead of the curve through the 10+ tech dominating the next 10 years. An innovative tech forerunner for 20+ years, CK takes on the big topics, like: The Tech Megatrends; Future-Proof; The Human-Robot Revolution; Business In The AI Age; Hi-Tech Health; Next-Gen Marketing; and The Reskilling Revolution.

Tom Koulopoulos – Leading Futurist, Innovation, and Technology Expert: Tom Koulopoulos is chairman of the Boston-based global futures think tank Delphi Group, which was named one of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. by Inc. Magazine. Tom is also the author of eleven books, a frequent business commentator on MSNBC, a columnist for Inc.com, an adjunct professor at Boston University Graduate School of Management, an Executive in Residence at Bentley University, the past Executive Director of the Babson College Center for Business Innovation, and past Executive Director of the Dell Innovation Lab.

Erica Orange – Leading Futurist & Speaker on Global Trends: Erica Orange is Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of The Future Hunters, one of the world’s leading futurist consulting firms. She evaluates emerging social, technological, economic, political, demographic and environmental trends – and identifies the strategic implications of those trends for several of the most influential Fortune 500 companies, trade associations and public sector clients.

Mike Walsh – Futurist and Authority on Digital Trends: Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have been talked about since the 1950s, but only now—with the exponential increase in data being generated about the world, and the exponential decrease in computing costs—are we starting to see applications that will transform the future of work. Many repetitive, routine tasks, will be replaced by AI—but the robots are not coming for all of our jobs. The real question is not whether we should fear machine intelligence, but rather, what might be the true potential of human intelligence in the 21st Century?

Scott Klososky – Technology Futurist & Internet of Things Expert I think what will change the way we work the most will be massive increases in the flow of data that we do not have today. Today we are virtually blind to things going on around us, at our office, at our home, with our kids, with our employees. In 5 years we will have ten times the flow of information coming to us about these things. We will simply be less blind—in real time. That will have a huge impact on how we work, when we work, and where we work.

Derek Sweeney is the Director of Speaker Ideas at The Sweeney Agency. www.thesweeneyagency.com. For 15 years Derek has been helping clients find the right Speakers for their events. Derek can be reached at 1-866-727-7555 or [email protected]

What Makes A Great Team Player

Patrick Lencioni, bestselling author & speaker, is a consultant with over two decades of experience working with CEOs and their executive teams. He is founder and president of The Table Group, a consulting firm dedicated to building healthy organizations. After twelve years in print, his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team remains a weekly fixture on national best-seller lists. Other notable books include The Advantage, which became an immediate national best-seller and is the pre-eminent source on organizational health. Releasing in April 2016, his latest book, The Ideal Team Player, is a much-anticipated follow-up to his classic team book. In his own words, Pat explains the genesis of The Ideal Team Player and offers us a brief excerpt:

With enough time, patience and attention from a good manager, almost anyone can learn to become a team player.
I believe that.

Having said that, some people are better at teamwork than others. These are the kind of people who add immediate value in a team environment and require much less coaching and management to contribute in a meaningful way.

So, there are two obvious questions. What do these people look like? And how do we find them? As it turns out, they have three qualities or virtues in common: they are humble, hungry and smart.

Before I explain each of those virtues, let me explain how this theory came about. Like so many of my ideas, this one surfaced as a result of my work with clients over the past twenty years. Whenever I worked with CEOs and their leadership teams to identify core values, I often was asked about the values of my own firm, The Table Group. When we revealed our three values, many of our clients would ask us if they could adopt those values for themselves.

Of course, we would say ‘no,’ explaining that they needed to come up with concepts that reflected their unique history and culture. We were a company oriented around teamwork and known for The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, so the values of humble, hungry and smart made sense for us. What we failed to realize was that our clients, almost all of whom were committed to the idea of teamwork, were drawn to our values because those were the building blocks of real team players. Once we realized this, the idea for this book was born.

THE THREE VIRTUES: HUMBLE, HUNGRY AND SMART

The three virtues seem quite simple, but require a bit of explanation.

HUMBLE
The first and most important virtue of an ideal team player is humility. A humble employee is someone who is more concerned with the success of the team than with getting credit for his or her contributions. People who lack humility in a significant way, the ones who demand a disproportionate amount of attention, are dangerous for a team. Having said that, humble team players are not afraid to honestly acknowledge the skills and talents that they bring to the team, though never in a proud or boastful way.

HUNGRY
The next virtue of an ideal team player is hunger, the desire to work hard and do whatever is necessary to help the team succeed. Hungry employees almost never have to be pushed by a manager to work harder because they are self-motivated and diligent. They volunteer to fill gaps, take on more responsibilities and are eagerly looking around corners for new ways to contribute to the team.

SMART
The final virtue of a team player is not about being intelligent, but rather about being wise in how to deal with people. Smart employees understand the nuances of team dynamics, and know how their words and actions impact others. Their good judgment and intuition help them deal with others in the most effective way. As simple as these three concepts may be, the key to all this is the unique combination of all three virtues, which make a person an ideal team player. Unfortunately, when even one of these attributes is lacking in a significant way, challenges can arise. For instance, a humble and hungry employee who is not smart about people may accomplish a great deal but will often leave a trail of interpersonal destruction behind them. And a person who is smart and humble but lacking in hunger will frustrate team members by doing only what is required and having to be constantly asked to do more. Finally, a team member who is hungry and smart but truly lacking in humility, can have a devastating impact on a team. This type knows how to present himself or herself as a well-intentioned colleague, all the while looking out for his or her own needs. By the time team members figure this out, people have been manipulated and scarred. How do you go about hiring ideal team players? It’s mostly about knowing what to look for, and probing in non-traditional ways. And what about employees who already work on the team and lack one or more of the virtues? A big part of helping them improve is making sure they understand the concepts and know where they fall short. We’ve found that merely introducing this simple model to teams and allowing them to self-assess goes a long way toward improvement.

BIG PAY-OFF

The impact of ensuring that members of a team value and demonstrate humility, hunger and people smarts cannot be overstated. Most teams that struggle are not lacking in knowledge or competence as much as they are unable to access that knowledge and competence because of dysfunctional behaviors. A team full of people who are humble, hungry and smart will overcome those dysfunctions quickly and easily, allowing them to get more done in less time and with far fewer distractions. My hope is that this approach will help leaders hire, recognize and cultivate ideal team players in their organizations.

Top 10 Closing Speakers For Your Next Event

After two or three days of great content you need a great Closing Speaker to inspire your attendees before they head home. Great Closing Speakers use the power of story to motivate people to take action with what they’ve learned. They connect with people on a very personal level with examples of courage, raising the bar, pushing the limits, and going for gold. The Closing Speakers below will give your attendees a powerful experience that they will remember long after the event has ended.

Mike Abrashoff

Mike Abrashoff’s story of turning one of the lowest performing naval ships into one of the finest in the Pacific Fleet will have audiences inspired to take initiative within their own leadership and collaborative roles. Mike’s keynotes are an engaging combination of great storytelling and practical advice on leadership, teamwork, and peak performance.

Dr. Robert Ballard

Dr. Ballard will have audiences captivated with his tales of the deep. His presentations will inspire attendees to develop a culture of teamwork as well as motivate them to venture into uncharted territory – leading to new discoveries, creativity, and innovation.

Walter Bond

Walter Bond’s unique presentation style motivates audiences to take responsibility for their own continued improvement, teaching attendees how personal and organizational accountability creates teamwork and engagement. Walter’s keynotes are funny, insightful, and full of great stories that inspire sustained success.

Lee Cockerell

Lee Cockerell is as much a customer service speaker as he is a leadership, workplace culture, and employee engagement speaker. Lee’s message is simple: treat your people well and in return they will treat your guests well. Lee believes that exceptional customer service starts from within an organization and resonates outwards. His dynamic presentation style will leave sales audiences ready to look at customer service from a whole new angle.

Dr. Janet Lapp

One of the most dynamic and entertaining speakers on the circuit Dr. Janet Lapp’s keynotes will have you laughing and learning. Her presentations are funny, engaging, and highly motivating. Dr. Lapp’s keynote will leave attendees feeling energized and ready to face challenges with fortitude and positivity.

Vince Poscente

Vince Poscente has a great story – and that story has an even better moral. Vince’s lively presentations teach audiences how to take on big challenges without fear and how to execute big idea quickly. Each of Vince’s keynotes are tailored to the specific needs of the audience, providing important observations about where, how, and when you and your team can accelerate.

Mike Rayburn

Hilarious and unique, Mike Rayburn’s presentations are like nothing you’ve seen before. As a guitar virtuoso, Mike will inspire audiences to challenge their perceived limitations and teach them how to push themselves and their organizations beyond existing barriers.

Steve Rizzo

Steve Rizzo’s interactive presentations will have attendees taking notes in between gales of laughter. He will teach your audience how to develop and maintain a positive attitude – creating a more cohesive and healthy working environment.

Scott Snook

Scott Snook tells stories. His stories (or case studies) demonstrate how leadership is discovered, cultivated, and sustained. His presentations are extremely thought-provoking and deliver his message on a mental and emotional level. Audiences leave feeling inspired to take control of their own leadership objectives within their organizations.

Mark Thompson

Mark Thompson’s energetic and captivating presentations make him a wonderful closing speaker for any event. Mark’s keynotes are very insightful and well researched – he knows your business and your competition and provides great tools and motivation to help your business grow beyond what you thought possible.

Derek Sweeney is the Director of Speaker Ideas at The Sweeney Agency. www.thesweeneyagency.com. For 15 years Derek has been helping clients find the right Speakers for their events. Derek can be reached at 1-866-727-7555 or [email protected]

Top 10 Opening Speakers For Your Next Event

An opening speaker sets the tone for the entire conference – so selecting the right one is a crucial part of coordinating any event. A great opening speaker must inspire their audiences to start a discourse, to open up lines of communication among colleagues. They also need to be energetic, motivating, and engaging in order for attendees to get the most out of the event. Here are our Top Ten Opening Speakers:

Bill Acheson

Not only do Bill Acheson’s compelling presentations teach audience members how to project themselves using non-verbal communication in both business and life, but he also teaches attendees how to pick up on the subconscious messages sent by others. His keynote will teach professionals how to examine body language, giving a deeper understanding of the attitude and intent of their colleagues, their superiors, and their clients and customers.

Shawn Achor

For so many people, happiness is the ultimate goal. Unfortunately, most people have their “happiness plan” backwards – and that’s where positive psychology expert Shawn Achor comes in. He provides practical applications to help his audiences shift their mindsets, teaching them how to be happy first, and watch the rest fall into place.

Ty Bennett

Ty’s keynotes teach attendees how to effectively engage others on an emotional level, leading to stronger connections, stronger commitment, and ultimately a stronger bottom-line. Audiences describe his presentations as inspiring, thought-provoking, and entertaining.

Anthony “AB” Bourke

As a former military fighter pilot, Anthony “AB” Bourke knows the importance of effective and clear communication as the basis for the execution of any successful initiative or strategy. His interactive keynotes are full of engaging stories and practical tools used by real fighter squadrons to execute at the highest level.

Chip Eichelberger

Motivational Speaker Chip Eichelberger will energize your audience with his contagious enthusiasm. His interactive presentations allow audience members to break the ice and begin to collaborate. Attendees will leave his presentation feeling motivated, excited, and empowered to take on new and existing challenges.

Chester Elton

Dubbed “The Apostle of Appreciation” by The Globe and Mail, Chester Elton’s presentations explore the connection between effective recognition and employee engagement. His motivational keynotes are full of energy and enthusiasm, setting an exciting and positive foundation for any event.

Sally Hogshead

Sally Hogshead is fascinating – she will have your attention from the moment she steps on the stage. And she can teach your audience how to be fascinating too! Sally’s energetic and practical presentations teach audiences how to stand-out, express their value, and be remembered. You won’t soon forget the Speaker who taught how to be remembered.

Dr. Nick Morgan

In today’s society, the attention span of the population is minimal at best – and this is also true in business. We are busier but more removed than ever before, and gaining (and sustaining) someone’s attention is a difficult feat. Dr. Nick Morgan will not only show you how to grab someone’s attention, but also how to persuade them to buy what you’re selling. Using recent studies in neuroscience, Dr. Morgan will show attendees how persuasion works and how you can leverage that knowledge to win anyone over.

Michelle Ray

Michelle Ray is on a mission to get workplaces to communicate, collaborate, and connect – and it all starts with you! Rather than addressing an entire team, Michelle’s keynotes target the individual and their attitude, self-leadership and self-motivation as the catalyst for a more cohesive and collaborative working environment.

Mel Robbins

Mel Robbins keynotes are motivational, energizing, and inject new perspectives into the minds of attendees. Her easily applicable tools and insights will help your audience accelerate their personal and professional growth, as well as teach them how to achieve sustained positive/healthy behaviors and productivity.

This Idea Totally Changed How We do Business and the Results Have Been Extraordinary!

When I first started The Sweeney Agency I received some powerful advice from Tim Sanders, formerly of Yahoo! This is what he said:

“Don’t think about sales or closing deals, just position yourself so that whenever you can help someone you help them, without any expectations. 20% of the people you help you’ll never hear from again, but that won’t matter because you will certainly hear back from the other 80%. They will remember you and how you helped them and that will create such great relationships that you will build both a great business and a great life.”

A few weeks after Tim Sanders told me that, I was talking to Colleen – a new employee at a major software company we had worked with. She told me she didn’t really now many people in the company or the new city as she had just moved across the country to take the job. After I finished the call I remembered what Tim had said and I thought of what I could do to help Colleen.

She wasn’t looking to book a Speaker, but I did know a great book that would help her connect with others so I couriered Colleen How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less by one of our Speakers, Nick Boothman. This was at a time when sending anything by courier meant no coffee for a week at The Sweeney Agency. Two days later she emailed me back thanking me for my kindness and said she loved the book.

Colleen was reading the book in the company’s café when the VP of Global Communications saw her and asked about the book. Collen referred the VP back to us and he called asking if we could help find him a book on Innovation – which, of course, we were happy to do. That led to further discussions with different people inside the company that we had never dealt with before, which led to the Company asking us to help them find Speakers for their 5 annual sales meetings. We did this for them for the next 7 years and several of the people we met at the company during those years went on to work for companies around the world and today, 12 years later, we are still doing business with several of them.

That all happened because we saw a chance to help Colleen, without any expectation of any return, and just like Tim Sanders said – they remembered us.

Derek Sweeney has been helping Clients find the right Speakers for their events for 15 Years. During that time Derek and his team have researched and reviewed over 12,000 Speakers on a variety topics and listed the top 500 on www.thesweeneyagency.com